Literature is a sort of aesthetic expression, usually involving words, but can be made of patterns or symbols. Most people think of literature as novels, but it can be anything you read, write, or create, as long as it has a special meaning. For example, a regular old to-do list is not literature, while a combination of certain symbols can be considered such.

Literature is the all-inclusive term used to describe instructions or other small-typed text found in various products in small booklets or otherwise. A classic example of "fine American literature" would be Johnson & Johnson's literature on their rectal thermometers (see below).

An example of American literature:

"Every Rectal Thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson is personally tested and then sanitized." -from literature of rectal thermometers made by Johnson and Johnson